Improvement in sheet-metal cans



TEDFSTA ESPAT NT .QFF

. anage ents; or New YORK, 'nfvp'.

T a 1M eadvemen'tiln" SH'E'IEITV-M ETAL 'c Ns. 5

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 174,311}, dated February 29, 1376 application filed "February 1, 1876.

To all whom tt may concern; v

Be it known that I, DAVID STEINER, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cans, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to improven'ients in cans; and is designed to afford a simple and convenient means of opening the can without in anywise impairing its utility or endangering its contents when filled. It may be applied to cans of all descriptions without relation to the purposes for which they are employed and the nature of their construction.

It has heretofore been customary in the manufacture of cans to construct the upper horizontal part with a circular central orifice of a suitable size, over which the top has been secured by soldering, its entire periphery or outer edge being firmly attached. This method has been generally practiced, and to facilitate the opening of the can the upper horizontal part upon which the top has, been made fast has been made of thin or soft metal so as to be readily cut, and other expedients have been resorted to of greater or less efficiency. In all of the methods heretofore used, however, the entire periphery or outer edge of: the top has been attached by soldering or otherwise, which is not the case with the present invention.

Where no special construction has been adopted great ,difficulty and annoyance have been experienced in taking off the top, by

reason of its being necessary to cut the solder or otherwise remove it to get a purchase for the knife in order to lift or otherwise loosen the top. To obviate this inconvenience and annoyance is the object of the invention, which is effected by removing a small section of the outer edge of the top, so that when the top is soldered in place a notch or opening will remain in which the knife or other opening instrument may be inserted and the top removed without diffieulty. To prevent the escape of, or injury to the contents of, the can, the notch is sealed in any convenient manner, but with some materialor in some manner thatwill not prevent the ready insertion of the opening instrument.

' to employ are setforth more fullyhereinafter,

from which the nature and objects of the invention also more fully appear.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of the device with the notch D. Fig. 2 is a'top view of the same.

Fig. 3is a section of the device without the notch D, the edge of the top elevated or ridged above the tongue. Fig. 4 is a top view of the device shown at Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a part of the device shown at Figs.3 and 4. Fig. 6 is a view of the device showing the top 0- level.

A denotes the can, which is of ordinary construction, having the upperhorizontal portion B of any convenient width, as may be desired. 0 is the top of the can, which differs from an ordinary top only in the fact that it has the notch D cut in its outer edge, and is supplied with the tongue or guard E upon its lower surface, which is in the position shown, and which serves to prevent the sealing material from falling into the can, while facilitating its application, besides effecting other results.

By preference, the notch and tongue are of the sh ape and dimensions shown in Figs. 1 and2,the tongue or guard being made to extend beyond the periphery of the top, so as to project below the part B when the topis applied, thus facilitating its attachment; butthe form of the notch, as well as the form and dimensions of the tongue or guard, may be varied at will.

When the top has been attached the notch is filled with any suitable sealing material, 1

for sealing the notch a preparation consist l of one part of red lead to two parts of litharge, with a sufficient quantity of glycerine to render the whole ofabout the consistency of putty,

which I recommend as the most effective material of which I am aware.

In soldering the top care should be exercised to prevent the solder from falling into the notch.

It is desirable, too, that the part B be reduced so as to be little more than a horizontal lip, which will render the removal of the top easier than when the usual central'orifice is cut with a-considerable portion of the part B leftnnremoved.

The operation of the invention will be understood without further explanation from the foregoing description and the drawings therein referred to.

Figs. 5 and 6 show these nieth0ds,-,but.I pre fer the means hereinbefore'-more'*specifically described, and which is shown in Figs. 1 and2.

I do not limit my claim to. any particular construction, nor=- to a constrnction' in-iwhickia tonguefor guard, E, is used; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1'. The manner of: securing :theitopiofla can by notching or, omitting to fasten a partof the e'dfge 1 of the .top,- .an" d closing; the. notch or. unfastened"partwith a material that v can be readily penetrated by the opening instrument,

"substantially as set'forth.

2. The combination of the tongue or guard substantially as shown and described.

In testimony, thatl; claim the foregoing improvement iircans; as-above described, I hereunto set my hand this 20th day of January,

DAVID STEINER.

Witnesses: I

LAWRENCE GARATY, O. J WELLS? 

